Wednesday, April 27, 2005

STANDING EIGHT: I've accepted the fact that few people are watching The Contender, and that it's not likely to change.

But, seriously, folks? Man, are you missing out. The boxers are all engaging characters. The human drama is real, and occasionally quite moving. And actualy boxing has never been more beautifully filmed. Mark Burnett found a way to transplant the strategy and team/individual challenges from Survivor into a new context, and it remains great television.

This show has only one drawback: the hosts. Sylvester Stallone knows nothing about boxing that didn't come from Rocky's Big Book Of Boxing Cliches. Sugar Ray Leonard's lines are overdubbed at least twice as often as Trump's ever were, and when he's not overdubbed, he's not making any sense anyway. He's the worst host of a reality competition since Alex McLeod on Joe Millionaire (or, worse: Monica Lewinsky's stint on Mr. Personality.)

Two minor reality tv notes:
  • Whew! Rupert and clan will not be appearing in The Amazing Family Race.
  • Just want to make sure we're all in agreement -- no matter what happens for the rest of the season, Survivor's Stephenie LaGrossa will not only win the 2005 ALOTT5MA Award for Reality TV Competitor of the Year (2004: Rob Mariano), but will enter the Pantheon of favorite reality tv people ever with Ruthie and Teck, Team Guido, Jeff Balis and Chris Moore, Miss J. Alexander and the rest.

No comments:

Post a Comment